Chapter 119

That didn’t mean trust came easy. Rumors about demon deals and tricks and cruel magic still ran around and leapt up and down and begged for attention. Justin—and his family, especially his father, who’d once loved and lost a demon wife, a magical person who’d been as mortal as anyone else and who’d left behind a devastated widower and young son—faced the reality of those prejudices every day.

Kris rubbed a thumb along the line of Justin’s throat: no pressure, but a reminder of belonging, assertion, affirmation. Justin liked that, he knew. “You started to say something. Last night. Before I distracted you.”

“I did?”

“About being human.” He took a breath, let it out: measured, careful, trying not to feel too much or project too strongly. The anxiety swirled, though touching Justin helped with calm.

“Oh.” Justin bit a lip, let it go. “Yeah. It was more about you.”